Markus Faigle was born in Stuttgart, Germany, best known as the headquarters for Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. What captivated him as a young boy, though, were not those sleek luxury machines but rather rocks and minerals that he found hidden beneath bushes and leaves; mixed with roots and weeds; and buried in dirt, sand, gravel or mud.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, “A mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic compound with a unique chemical structure and physical properties. A rock is a solid, stony mass composed of a combination of minerals or other organic compounds. Quartz and feldspars are minerals, but when formed together, they make a rock, granite.”
“I’ve been collecting them pretty much all of my life,” said Faigle, a longtime member of Hui Pohaku ‘O Hawai‘i, the Rock and Mineral Society of Hawai‘i (see sidebar). “No matter where I am, I’m always the one who bends down to pick up a pretty stone.”
As a “surface collector,” Faigle usually just scans the ground for interesting rocks and minerals revealed by erosion. But, he notes, collecting usually requires some sweat equity such as digging, climbing or breaking boulders with a hammer.
He credits his maternal grandmother with sparking his interest in them when he was about 5 years old. “She had a wonderful collection, which she displayed in glass cabinets in different rooms; most were in her dining room,” he said. “I was allowed to open the cabinets whenever I wanted to admire and touch them.”
Another key figure during Faigle’s early years was his paternal grandfather, who lived in a rural area two hours from Stuttgart by train. Faigle visited him often, especially enjoying the long walks they took together on the nearby hill.
“My grandfather taught elementary-grade children in a one-room schoolhouse,” Faigle said. “He was, as we would say in Hawaii, bound to the aina (land). I often came back from our hikes with a pocket full of treasures.”
From age 10 through 13, Faigle lived with his family in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He describes the country as paradise from a mineral perspective, and he was able to make some amazing acquisitions at Sao Paulo’s flea market with his pocket money.
FAIGLE WILL be among the Hui Pohaku ‘O Hawai‘i members who will be displaying, selling and “talking story” about their finds at the Hawaii Rock and Mineral Show, now in its 18th year.
The event features the largest variety of rocks, minerals and mineral jewelry from around the world and outer space (meteorites) in the state. Prices run the gamut, from a dollar to thousands of dollars, depending on type, rarity, quality, size, weight and clarity of color.
Much of Hawaii’s land is lava, which contains very few minerals, among them, olivine, calcite and selenite. For that reason, many local collectors head to the mainland or abroad to augment their collections.
“California, Arizona and Nevada are great for rock hunting,” Faigle said. “In parts of the desert there, you can park your car on the side of the road, take a short stroll and, if you’re lucky, pick up some pretty agates just lying on the ground. Asking mineral collectors to disclose specific sites is like asking fishermen to post their favorite fishing spots with GPS coordinates on Facebook. It’s not done, and no one will ever tell.”
According to Faigle, collectors also buy rocks and minerals at shows (Tucson hosts some of the largest in the world) as well as online, which he doesn’t do. “It’s very easy to hide flaws in pictures,” he said. “Also, I want to hold the stone that has caught my eye, examine it and then decide if I want it or not.”
Why is Faigle so enamored with them? It’s a question he often answers with a question.
“Why do people collect stamps, coins, toy cars or comic books?” he said. “There are many reasons; for example, they might like looking at them and touching them. Maybe the items have sentimental value or there’s a good story about how they were ‘discovered.’ It’s the same with those who collect minerals. Some are interested in their provenance and healing properties; others think the scientific aspect — how rocks are formed — is fascinating. For many, the reason is simple: the pure pleasure of owning something that is truly unique, beautiful and imperishable.”
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IF YOU GO: HAWAII ROCK AND MINERAL SHOW
>> Where: Ohana Hale Marketplace (former Sports Authority), 333 Ward Ave., Honolulu
>> When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 20
>> Cost: Free
>> Info: Email hui.pohaku@gmail.com or go to rockandmineral societyofhawaii.org
>> Notes: Parking is free. It’s a good idea to bring cash for purchases as not all of the vendors will be accepting credit cards.
Ohana Hale Marketplace will be celebrating its first anniversary from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday with prize giveaways; live entertainment (Frank De Lima will perform at noon); and children’s activities, including face painting and a magic show. Fifty-plus vendors in the marketplace sell food, snacks and nonalcoholic drinks.
ABOUT HUI POHAKU ‘O HAWAI‘I
Established in 1970, this nonprofit educational organization is dedicated to rock and mineral collecting and the lapidary arts. It meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month in a room at Makiki District Park’s administration building from 6:15 to 8 p.m. (Because of Thanksgiving and Christmas, dates will be adjusted in November and December. Check the website for information.)
Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting, which includes a discussion and exhibit of the “mineral of the month.” Occasionally, there is a guest speaker or a slide or video presentation.
Annual memberships are $10 for individuals and $15 for families (two or more people). Benefits include a monthly newsletter, participation in rock-hunting field trips and club-sponsored shows where members can display and/or sell minerals, rocks, fossils and lapidary items such as jewelry.
The city Department of Parks and Recreation offers free lapidary classes during the spring, summer and fall sessions. The spring session usually runs from mid-January through mid-May (specific dates have not been confirmed), but online registration will begin at 9 a.m. on Jan. 6, 2020, and end at midnight on Jan. 10. Walk-in registration will be Jan. 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. and Jan. 16-17 from 2 to 5 p.m.
Minimum age requirement is 18. Email instructor Dean Sakabe if you have questions at dean.sakabe@gmail.com.
Keep up with the Rock and Mineral Society’s activities and events by visiting rockandmineralsocietyofhawaii.org or on its Facebook page.
Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.
